For those of you who don’t know it, pay cable outlets – back in their heyday – used to be the proverbial stomping grounds for what most folks accept as softcore pornography.
Now, I’m not complaining. My point in delivering that single-sentence history lesson is that all things begin somewhere: while the drive-in grindhouse features debatably introduced mankind to such sweaty goodness, it really wasn’t until outlets like Showtime and Cinemax truly nurtured the subgenre into cultural puberty. Producers cast good-looking actors and actresses largely on the prospects of seeing them disrobed. The plots were rather routine thrillers – philandering spouses, supernatural occurrences, murder mysteries, uncharacteristically vigorous sexual awakenings, etc. – and audiences knew that the stories would never truly get in the way of the sex, sex, and even more sex. Granted, these skin flicks evolved – they grew a bit more outhouse when some very marquee talent decided to through their hats (and panties) into the ring, with quite a few graduating from the Boob Tube to the silver screen (thank you, Sharon Stone) – but their true heyday remained for a time in pay cable.
This is where a project like 2024’s Russian-language film The Demoness (aka Succubus; aka Otrazhenie tmy) truly belongs, no insult intended to anyone involved. There’s no shame in being what you are, and Demoness even covers that ground. Directed by Serik Beyseu from a story by Oleg Kurochkin and Dmitriy Zhigalov, the steamy Horror starred Angelina Pahomova, Polina Davydova, Artur Beschastnyy, Artur Rival, Pierre Bourel, and others. It’s a tale that takes everything listed above – extramarital affairs, a healthy measure of the occult, a few deaths and rebirths, and the robust sex – and even layers on a case of mistaken identity – with twins! – to deliver a somewhat carnal potboiler about love and loss in the high stakes world of … ethnography?!?!
(Yeah. You read that right. You never even knew ethnography existed before this, am I right?)
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A group of young people arrives to a remote village where they encounter an ancient spirit - a succubus - that can take human disguise. It feeds on one's deepest fears and brings out the darkest side in people.”
Now, I’m not complaining. My point in delivering that single-sentence history lesson is that all things begin somewhere: while the drive-in grindhouse features debatably introduced mankind to such sweaty goodness, it really wasn’t until outlets like Showtime and Cinemax truly nurtured the subgenre into cultural puberty. Producers cast good-looking actors and actresses largely on the prospects of seeing them disrobed. The plots were rather routine thrillers – philandering spouses, supernatural occurrences, murder mysteries, uncharacteristically vigorous sexual awakenings, etc. – and audiences knew that the stories would never truly get in the way of the sex, sex, and even more sex. Granted, these skin flicks evolved – they grew a bit more outhouse when some very marquee talent decided to through their hats (and panties) into the ring, with quite a few graduating from the Boob Tube to the silver screen (thank you, Sharon Stone) – but their true heyday remained for a time in pay cable.
This is where a project like 2024’s Russian-language film The Demoness (aka Succubus; aka Otrazhenie tmy) truly belongs, no insult intended to anyone involved. There’s no shame in being what you are, and Demoness even covers that ground. Directed by Serik Beyseu from a story by Oleg Kurochkin and Dmitriy Zhigalov, the steamy Horror starred Angelina Pahomova, Polina Davydova, Artur Beschastnyy, Artur Rival, Pierre Bourel, and others. It’s a tale that takes everything listed above – extramarital affairs, a healthy measure of the occult, a few deaths and rebirths, and the robust sex – and even layers on a case of mistaken identity – with twins! – to deliver a somewhat carnal potboiler about love and loss in the high stakes world of … ethnography?!?!
(Yeah. You read that right. You never even knew ethnography existed before this, am I right?)
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A group of young people arrives to a remote village where they encounter an ancient spirit - a succubus - that can take human disguise. It feeds on one's deepest fears and brings out the darkest side in people.”
The real trick to understanding a project like The Demoness – retitled from Succubus when original let loose on all of mankind – is to avoid getting lost in its own weeds. Kurochkin and Zhigalov’s script reaches for thematic layers; but because this all boils down to being little more than an erotic Thriller – with spooky overtones – there’s no need to be distracted by the accompanying narrative bells and whistles. A good deal of this revolves around getting laid – hell, that’s even the goal of the central supernatural being – but director Beyseu persists from start to finish by infusing the picture with atmosphere when what it truly needed was a bit of air.
The premise is that there’s this far-off island retreat – not at all unlike TV’s popular Fantasy Island (1977-1984) – wherein regular folks can go to have their life crises resolved via clever intervention by the host and staff. What’s chiefly different here from that distant show is that this getaway only seems to concern itself with treating flawed heterosexual relationships: every single couple has experienced turbulence between their respective significant others, and their island host Gin (played by Nino Ninidze) has put down a specific regimen of activities that somehow – magically? – promise to put the puzzle pieces back in such a way as to deliver happiness … but happiness for whom?
This is where Demoness truly fails to achieve any measure of believability, causing the film’s protagonist Stacey (Angelina Pahomova) to doubt Gin’s true goal. Granted, we eventually learn that Stacey’s twin sister vanished on this island not long ago under equally mysterious circumstances, so it isn’t as if our lead showed up expecting any of these shenanigans to authentically work. Added to the context is the fact that eventually watchers learn that Stacey isn’t even Stacey (trust me, it’ll make sense once you see it); and it grows increasingly clear that Kurochkin and Zhigalov were throwing everything they possibly could into this spectral stew. Though some might find that ambitious, it still grows tedious under Beyseu’s ambling direction.
The central problem is that Demoness never quite settles into what it actually wanted to be: bloated skin flick or basic Horror. This superficiality winds up tanking what could’ve otherwise been an interesting but overwrought story of twin sisters trying to reconcile a tragic turn of fate: instead, the only forgiveness here turns out to Stacey 2’s desire to pass over. Forget the central sinning so long as there’s a smile in the ending. As a complete story, Demoness never shakes off feeling like it could’ve gone one way or the other; and this indecisiveness instead suggests that all involved decided they’d pluck sequences from better films as inspiration – Stanley Kubrick’s confusing Eyes Wide Shut (1999), the dinner table sequences from Would You Rather (2012), the winding wooded exteriors of The Evil Dead (1981), etc. – and refashion them to suit their purpose. Much like Gin keeps rejiggering these various couplings for the sole purpose of stirring up the emotions of the left-out spouse or significant other, Demoness resorts to the simplest path forward to give life to what otherwise feels like dead space, albeit prettily photographed.
The premise is that there’s this far-off island retreat – not at all unlike TV’s popular Fantasy Island (1977-1984) – wherein regular folks can go to have their life crises resolved via clever intervention by the host and staff. What’s chiefly different here from that distant show is that this getaway only seems to concern itself with treating flawed heterosexual relationships: every single couple has experienced turbulence between their respective significant others, and their island host Gin (played by Nino Ninidze) has put down a specific regimen of activities that somehow – magically? – promise to put the puzzle pieces back in such a way as to deliver happiness … but happiness for whom?
This is where Demoness truly fails to achieve any measure of believability, causing the film’s protagonist Stacey (Angelina Pahomova) to doubt Gin’s true goal. Granted, we eventually learn that Stacey’s twin sister vanished on this island not long ago under equally mysterious circumstances, so it isn’t as if our lead showed up expecting any of these shenanigans to authentically work. Added to the context is the fact that eventually watchers learn that Stacey isn’t even Stacey (trust me, it’ll make sense once you see it); and it grows increasingly clear that Kurochkin and Zhigalov were throwing everything they possibly could into this spectral stew. Though some might find that ambitious, it still grows tedious under Beyseu’s ambling direction.
The central problem is that Demoness never quite settles into what it actually wanted to be: bloated skin flick or basic Horror. This superficiality winds up tanking what could’ve otherwise been an interesting but overwrought story of twin sisters trying to reconcile a tragic turn of fate: instead, the only forgiveness here turns out to Stacey 2’s desire to pass over. Forget the central sinning so long as there’s a smile in the ending. As a complete story, Demoness never shakes off feeling like it could’ve gone one way or the other; and this indecisiveness instead suggests that all involved decided they’d pluck sequences from better films as inspiration – Stanley Kubrick’s confusing Eyes Wide Shut (1999), the dinner table sequences from Would You Rather (2012), the winding wooded exteriors of The Evil Dead (1981), etc. – and refashion them to suit their purpose. Much like Gin keeps rejiggering these various couplings for the sole purpose of stirring up the emotions of the left-out spouse or significant other, Demoness resorts to the simplest path forward to give life to what otherwise feels like dead space, albeit prettily photographed.
Beyseu arguably distracts visually be giving his film some interesting twists and turns – the island staff uniforms alternate between Gothic-inspired masks and rather conventional S&M outfits; the inexorably slow-moving camerawork through interior and exterior locations; his cast of characters looking like shirtless Abercrombie & Fitch magazine models one after another; etc. – but when he neglects giving any depth to the central mystery what little story there is gets robbed of the oxygen needed to truly burn. Stacey 1 has come looking for Stacey 2 more out of familial obligation than anything else, but even that feels flat when compared to everyone else’s commitment to simply gettin’ it on while the time is right. Instead of having a pulse, Demoness inevitably feels like a picture filled with sound but no fury, giving me absolutely no reason to care about any of its people and places, much less what happens after it all fades to black.
The Demoness (2024) was produced by Altermax, KD Studios, and Logistic Star Production. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Well Go USA Entertainment. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can assure you that – for the most part – Demoness looks about as good as does any other low budget thriller: costumes are relatively simple – except for the island resort hosts, which get only mildly elaborate – and it’s all captured with suitable cinematography and atmosphere. It’s nothing elaborate, mostly because it doesn’t need to be. Also, the disc boasts one of the worst acted English-dubbing tracks I think I’ve ever heard. It’s about as plain an affair as you’ll ever get. Sad. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Sorry, folks, but this is a bare bones affair, and you’ll likely be leaving only with what you brought when you came. (snicker snicker)
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
On the one hand, it’s hard to find a great deal of contextual fault with a skin-flick like The Demoness (2024) because it likely both sets out and accomplishes exactly what all involved intended: take a group of young and fit lovers through some supernatural strife – showing enough flesh to keep audiences interested – and then wrap it all up somehow. Still, there’s that other hand – the one used to measure such things as tone, pace, performance, and meaningfulness – and it’s here that everything truly comes up short. Though not a total failure, this Demoness likely won’t tempt watchers much beyond the initial experience – it’s good though bland while you’re in it – meaning there’s zero rewatchability. Cheap thrill … but producers tried not to spare the softcore T & A.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Allied Vaughn (via Warner Archive) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Demoness (2024) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
The Demoness (2024) was produced by Altermax, KD Studios, and Logistic Star Production. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Well Go USA Entertainment. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can assure you that – for the most part – Demoness looks about as good as does any other low budget thriller: costumes are relatively simple – except for the island resort hosts, which get only mildly elaborate – and it’s all captured with suitable cinematography and atmosphere. It’s nothing elaborate, mostly because it doesn’t need to be. Also, the disc boasts one of the worst acted English-dubbing tracks I think I’ve ever heard. It’s about as plain an affair as you’ll ever get. Sad. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Sorry, folks, but this is a bare bones affair, and you’ll likely be leaving only with what you brought when you came. (snicker snicker)
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
On the one hand, it’s hard to find a great deal of contextual fault with a skin-flick like The Demoness (2024) because it likely both sets out and accomplishes exactly what all involved intended: take a group of young and fit lovers through some supernatural strife – showing enough flesh to keep audiences interested – and then wrap it all up somehow. Still, there’s that other hand – the one used to measure such things as tone, pace, performance, and meaningfulness – and it’s here that everything truly comes up short. Though not a total failure, this Demoness likely won’t tempt watchers much beyond the initial experience – it’s good though bland while you’re in it – meaning there’s zero rewatchability. Cheap thrill … but producers tried not to spare the softcore T & A.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Allied Vaughn (via Warner Archive) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Demoness (2024) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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